BLUES Emperor (4/1) recorded his first success since winning on Derby day at the Curragh last summer, when taking the Irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap and was the first leg of a Dundalk double for Curragh trainer, Johnny Murtagh.

Owned by Mrs Helen Keaveney and Mark Keaveney, the home-bred Gleneagles gelding headed Tamrat entering the final furlong and had to be resolute to see off that gallant front-runner by half a length.

Letterkenny youngster Patrick McGettigan, who only got his licence in August, was on board and impressed stable representative Niall Madden, who remarked: “Paddy gave him a great ride, that’s his third winner, so his 10lb claim is gone now.

“He’s a good kid, who came from the pony racing circuit, he rides really well and can kick on now.”

Second winner

Sent off a well-supported 13/8 favourite, Natural Ruler completed Murtagh’s brace in the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Handicap.

Colin Keane’s mount gained the upper hand inside the final furlong and, despite edging right, stayed on well to beat outsider Warrior Lion by a length and three-quarters.

Madden said of Australian-based OTI Racing’s winner: “He’s a big baby, he still rolled around a bit, but we really like him.

“Johnny will talk to the boys and see if they want him to go there (Australia).

“He handles the surface really well, still has plenty to learn and there is a bit of improvement in him.”

Double up

Colin Keane completed a double of his own after partnering Glyndwr (10/3) to success in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series Maiden.

The Ger Lyons-trained colt hit the front inside the final furlong and, although running around a bit, had enough in hand to hold newcomer Carrignarede by a neck.

Assistant Shane Lyons said: “We’re delighted with that, he’s a work in progress and still very green. We knew he’d like this surface.

“We’re delighted that he won over seven, because we know that he wants a mile. Colin said that he’d be a lovely horse for next year over a mile or even a mile and a quarter.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to get a winner for Philip Richards, who is a new owner to us. He’s based in the Isle Of Man and has been very patient.”

MEG’S A Star (6/1) looked smart when making a winning debut for Joseph O’Brien in the Irish EBF Median Sires Series (Fillies) Maiden.

The US-bred juvenile was produced to challenge on the far side by Dylan Browne McMonagle going to the furlong pole and quickened up nicely to beat Shelbiana by half-a-length.

The daughter of Collected, owned by Shane Stafford and Justin Casse, cost $135,000 as a yearling and is a half-sister to two blacktype performers in the US.

Browne McMonagle said: “I wasn’t the quickest away and it kind of put me on the back foot a little bit, but she was well able to clue in fairly fast.

“After a furlong, I was able to get up behind them and she travelled around well and picked up well.”

Title contender

Eddie G (7/1) was another important winner for apprentice title contender Adam Caffrey, when landing the Friday Night Lights At Dundalk Handicap over seven furlongs.

A winner at this venue in January and twice runner-up at Galway in the interim, the Kuroshio colt tracked the leaders and hit the front inside the final 150 yards to account for Little Empire by a length and a quarter.

Ado McGuinness, who trains Eddie G for the Taceec Syndicate, said: “He’s a lovely little horse, who was off injured early in the year, so it’s great. He was unlucky in Galway this year.

“Padraic Connolly and the syndicate are from Galway and they’d love a winner there and that’s the plan already for this fella. Padraic is a former Galway hurler and this horse is a home-bred as well.”

Squire in charge at favourite track

ANDY Oliver can have few complaints with the handicapper’s treatment of Squire Danagher, who justified 5/4 favouritism in the Halloween Mid-Term Racing Dundalk Handicap over a mile and a half.

Francis Campbell’s Australia gelding was rated 74 when winning a maiden here in January and had since been successful in handicaps off marks of 77 and 79 before gaining his fourth victory of the year at the Co Louth venue off a perch of 85 here.

Billy Lee’s mount sat second to Psalm, on whom Jack Cleary set easy fractions and Squire Danagher responded to Lee’s urgings to wear down the front-runner close home with a head the margin of victory.

Oliver said: “He loves it around here and loves the quick ground, that’s his main thing.

“He’s entered in the Horses-in-Training sale at Newmarket and that will probably be his next stop. He’s a lovely horse for somebody going forward, because he’s only starting to get going, a four-year-old stayer who wants quick ground.”

Better performance

Only sixth over a mile at Thurles a day earlier, when partnered by Colin Keane, Church Mountain (11/2) made a quick reappearance in the William Hill Top Price Guarantee Apprentice Handicap over the extended mile and two furlongs and produced a better performance under Jack Kearney to record his fifth career victory.

The Pride Of Dubai gelding, trained by Denis Hogan for Joseph Kelly, had only a couple of rivals behind him turning for home, but he made good headway towards the stands’ side and led inside the final 100 yards to go on and beat Koniag by a length-and-a-quarter

“All his best form was over a mile,” said Kearney. “Recently he’s been breaking slow and Denis just said that I’d have to ride him that way.

“He’s a bit of a tricky old customer but, in fairness to him, I kept the bit high in his mouth and he did it well. I have to say thanks to Denis for the ride, that’s my first ride for him.”